"Rooster" by Alice in Chains

Walk tall with Alice in Chains' powerful 1992 grunge epic, "Rooster." A haunting standout from their landmark album Dirt, this track blends heavy alternative metal riffs with alternative rock angst. Its slow-burning intensity and poignant lyrics made it an instant classic.

Featured on the seminal 1992 album Dirt and later released as a single, "Rooster" became one of Alice in Chains' most iconic songs. Written by guitarist Jerry Cantrell, its atmospheric verses build into explosive choruses, perfectly capturing the heavy, emotive sound of grunge and alternative metal.

This 1992 alternative rock masterpiece showcases Layne Staley's evocative vocals and Jerry Cantrell's signature guitar work. "Rooster," with its dynamic shifts and themes inspired by the Vietnam War, remains a powerful and enduring anthem within the grunge genre and beyond.

SONG MEANING: The song was written by guitarist Jerry Cantrell about his father, Jerry Cantrell Sr., whose nickname during his service in the Vietnam War was "Rooster." The lyrics vividly depict the experiences, fear, and trauma of a soldier fighting in the jungles of Vietnam ("Walkin' tall machine gun man / They spit on me in my homeland"), serving as a tribute to his father and other veterans.